Long Beach State Uses Team Effort to Defeat CSUN in Five-Setter

Saturday, October 26

Long Beach, Calif.

7:00 PM

Long Beach State University

7-13 (4-4Big West)

CSUN

8-12 (3-5Big West)

CSUN

Long Beach State

Photo by: John Fajardo

Long Beach State Uses Team Effort to Defeat CSUN in Five-Setter

10/26/2019 11:36:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

The Beach had three double-figure scorers, one double-double, and several strong defensive performances in an exciting five-set win over the Matadors

By: Lindy Zamora, Associate Athletic Communications Director

Hear what head coach Joy McKienzie-Fuerbringer and seniors Hailey Harward and YiZhi Xue had to say about the Beach's five-set win over CSUN #GoBeach https://t.co/0hVLr6oKmV via @LBSUAthletics
— LBSU W. Volleyball (@LBSU_WVB) October 27, 2019

Box Score (PDF)

LONG BEACH, Calif. – Almost every Long Beach State player saw action in Saturday night's five-set conference contest against CSUN as the Beach claimed the competitive match 26-24, 26-24, 25-27, 19-25, 15-13 behind a complete team effort.

The Beach (7-13, 4-4 Big West) saw three players record double-figure kills and another three tally double-figure digs, while the team hit .225 with 8.0 total team blocks against the Matadors (8-12, 3-5 Big West).

Sophomore setter Carly Aigner-Swesey finished the match with a double-double notching a new season-high with 54 assists to go along with 11 digs, also a season-best. Aigner-Swesey also added three blocks in the match.

Offensively, YiZhi Xue and Kashauna Williams led the way with 19 kills apiece. Xue hit .586 (19-2-29) and her 19-kill performance was a new career-best for the senior middle blocker. She played well on both sides of the ball leading the team with six blocks to tie her season-high.

Adding to the LBSU offense was sophomore outside hitter Amanda Henderson who tallied 13 kills, while freshman Katie Kennedy contributed seven.

With the offense clicking, the Beach defense also stepped up and turned in several excellent performances. Senior libero Hailey Harward recorded her sixth 20-plus dig effort of the season with 21 digs in the backrow. Joining Harward in double-figures was sophomore defensive specialist Carly Hill who collected a new season-high with 14 digs.

While the Beach racked up solid numbers, so did the Matadors. CSUN finished the match with three double-figure scorers as well, led by Seyvion Waggoner, a double-double by Lexi McLeod (10 kills, 16 digs), and 19 digs by libero Makayla Branford.
LBSU and CSUN matched each other throughout the contest which saw 39 ties and 13 lead changes.

The Beach took the first two sets by identical scores of 26-24 hitting .417 in set one and .222 in set two. However, the Matadors avoided the sweep by coming back and taking the third set from Long Beach State, 27-25.

Leading two sets to one, Long Beach State was unable to put away CSUN as the Matadors out-hit the Beach .344 to .136 in the fourth set and claimed a 25-19 win to force a fifth set.

The conference rivals traded points early in set five and CSUN held a slight edge, 8-7, at the switch. Following the side change, Long Beach State took a 12-9 lead highlighted by a Nicole Hoff service ace. With the set in their favor, the Beach held the lead the rest of the way. The Matadors battled and pulled within one (14-13), but LBSU closed it out on a kill by Williams to earn the victory.

BEACH WIN!!! LBSU defeats CSUN, 3-2 after winning the 5th set 15-13 #GoBeach pic.twitter.com/tmXpjCLIGP
— LBSU W. Volleyball (@LBSU_WVB) October 27, 2019